No one expects divorce to be easy. It’s an awful experience at the end of what has become a bad marriage. In the best case, it’s swift and leads to the freedom and relief those getting divorced are looking for. But in the worst cases, it is expensive, stressful, long, and in a word, contested.

Most divorces aren’t quite that bad. 90 percent, according to the BB Law Group, PLLC, are in fact uncontested, with both partners agreeing on how things will be split up without too much fighting involved.

For 10 percent, though, there’s a lot of hard work still ahead.

Before getting to what you should do if you are one of those heading for a contested divorce, it’s important to outline just what the term means. An uncontested divorce is one in which both parties have sketched out the divorce process before pursuing the actual legal divorce. That means everyone knows who gets the house, who gets the car, how the bills and debts will be divided up, and where the kids are going during the week and the weekend. That situation is where 90 percent of future divorcees are as they get the process started.

A contested divorce is the exact opposite of all that. There is at very least disagreement (often outright enmity) over how everything will be split up. Perhaps one spouse wants full custody of the kids, or the two spouses can’t agree who is going to take the house and who is going to move out. Perhaps some debts were taken on during the marriage that one partner feels they aren’t responsible for at all. Or, perhaps there’s a small business that both founded and neither wants to lose.

These situations can (but don’t have to) involve more anger and emotional hurt than uncontested divorces. As some of the above examples suggest, they may simply involve much more complex finances and property than other divorces.

Now that the terms are defined, what should you do if you’re heading towards a contested divorce? The first thing is to try your best to avoid it. If you are in a position to work with your spouse while they are still technically your spouse, try your hardest to resolve the issues together.

If you can’t, for whatever reason, then your next step should be to find the best possible lawyer you can, particularly one that specializes in contested divorces.

Once the process begins, your lawyer and your spouse’s lawyer will most likely try to resolve what you and your spouse could not, namely, a fair division of property, debts, and custody. If that breaks down, then you’ll have to prepare yourself for a trial in which a judge has final say over how things are divvied up.

As you can see, this is a process that can get expensive and take a while, so the more you can resolve upfront the better. Try to convince your spouse of this as well before going too far down this road unless you have to.

It seems Tori Spelling of all people has decided to take on the giant of Japanese steakhouses, Benihana. Spelling has now settled a personal injury suit she filed after she was allegedly burned watching her chef flip cutlery and eggs into the air with remarkable dexterity.

Spelling’s legislative success comes after what appears on the surface to be a complete accident. In 2015, she slipped in a Benihana restaurant and in the process of falling, she grabbed a nearby grill (poor choice, Tori, the ground would have been kinder to you). The result was a trip to the hospital and a skin graft after it was discovered she had second- and third-degree burns on her right arm.

For some reason, all of this, it was decided, was Benihana’s fault. The famous restaurant that has been flinging Japanese food skyward since 1964 has been found liable for damages since a burn on Ms. Spelling’s arm apparently harmed her earning potential. Exactly what that potential was at this point, is all speculation. Perhaps she might have made a better wristwatch model otherwise.

Benihana was also on the hook for hospital expenses, medicine, and “general damages,” whatever that means.

The exact amount of the settlement hasn’t been released, but it’s likely to have been a bundle. Personal injury lawsuits tend to work in bundles. It’s almost enough to make you want to run out and fall on a Benihana grill just to get a piece of that personal injury pie, or steak in this case.

The money will come in good stead, surely, since Tori Spelling has had notoriously bad luck with holding onto her money. The former 90210 star, and reality star, has had her troubles, to put it mildly. Those troubles were bad enough that her father, Aaron Spelling, who created much of the best-loved trash television of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, left her $800,000 out of his $600,000,000 fortune. Remember to be kind to your parents, folks. Especially if they’re worth that kind of money.

Though $800,000 seems like a lot on its own to most of us, it doesn’t go far in the land of annual plastic surgery visits to keep up with the cutthroat competition for those wristwatch catalog modeling jobs.

We’ll have to hope that Benihana has been more generous than Tori’s father and put her in a better way for the future. Ms. Spelling has a young child named Beau to think about, and we wouldn’t want her crashing into Pottery Barn shelves or throwing IKEA furniture upon herself in a desperate attempt at a future income.

So, let’s hope Benihana has treated Tori well for the time being. And while we’re at it, let’s all help restore some of that lost Benihana income and get some lunch, shall we?

Car accidents are always highlighted in news programs and websites, and there is a good reason for that. Car accidents are often life-changing because of the damages they can bring. The website of these Oklahoma personal injury attorneys has expanded on those damages:

Property damages

Medical expenses

Lost wages

Pain and suffering

Wrongful death

But why do car accidents happen? Below are some of their common causes.

Driver’s Fault

The most obvious causes are those who control the vehicles – the drivers. Car accidents can happen because of understandable errors, but it cannot be denied that they also happen because of unacceptable behaviors, such as the following:

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Driving while distracted

Driving while fatigued

Speeding

Tailgating

Weaving

Not following traffic rules

Mechanical Defects

If the driver is not at fault, it can be the vehicle itself or its parts. Usually, the responsible party here is the driver, because he has failed to inspect and properly maintain his car, or the designer or manufacturer of the vehicle or the defective part that has caused the accident.

According to the website of Ravid and Associates, those who have been hurt in car accidents caused by mechanical defects may get compensation from the responsible party.

Road Defects

Even if a person is driving safely and maintaining his vehicle efficiently, he can still be involved in a car accident because of road defects and hazards. The most common defects and hazards on our streets include the following:

Maintenance issues, such as debris left on road, defective traffic lights, overgrowths that may compromise visibility, and uneven surfaces such as cracks and potholes

Third Party Recklessness

Car drivers are not the only ones on the road, so they are not the only ones who can possibly do reckless things that may result into accidents. It is also important to consider bicyclists who don’t stay in bicycle lanes and don’t have the proper lights, motorcyclists who weave and stay on blind spots, and pedestrians who suddenly cross the street.

Unfortunately, applying for and receiving Social Security benefits can often be a long, complicated process, and many individuals, who badly need these benefits often have their initial claim denied. For this reason, legal assistance is often crucial in helping disabled individuals get the help they need.”

To help individuals in their claim, Social Security Disability lawyers call out to them with the invitation, “Let us fight for you!” This invitation is regardless of the Social Security program individuals need to apply into to obtain benefits.

One such program is the SS Long-term Disability Benefits, through which the Social Security Administration (SSA) grants cash benefits to eligible individuals suffering from total permanent disability. This disability should be total or permanent, which will render a person unable to perform any type of work, including the one that he/she had before being disabled, and which can either last for more than a year or result in death.

The SSA has an impairment listing manual, more familiarly known as the “blue book,” which contains serious types of disabilities. If a member’s disability is included in this listing, then he/she may automatically qualify for the SSDI cash benefits. Any impairment that is also serious, but is not included in the list, may still qualify a member to receive the cash benefits. Thus, a migraine headache, for example, that is too severe so that it becomes impossible for an individual to have a full-time job is also very likely to be determined by the SSA as a qualifying disabling condition.

Additionally, children or those below 18 years old, who have limited income and resources and whose disability has resulted in severe functional limitations may be able to apply for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits (the Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI disability benefits may be availed of only by employees/workers who have earned the number of credits that the SSA requires. These credits can be earned through the monthly payment of Social Security taxes. This payment is reflected in employees’ pay slip under the heading “FICA,” for Federal Insurance Contributions Act).

Premises liability refers to the legal principle that holds owners, lessees or occupiers of properties responsible for injuries suffered (by certain individuals) on their property. A premises liability case usually rests on the concept that a property owner had been negligent in using or exercising the standard of care that is ordinarily required of him/her.

Now, since swimming pools are located inside someone’s property, whether this property is privately owned or open for public use, lawsuits dealing with injuries sustained in or around a pool will have to be tried under premises liability rules.

Premises liability rules vary somewhat from one state to another. While some states have dismissed the practice of distinguishing or categorizing entrants/users of a pool, there are still those that recognize three different types of entrants on the land, namely: invitees, licensees and trespassers. Each type of entrant, of course, requires a different degree of care from the owner.

“Invitees” refer to patrons of public pools, whether access to the pool requires a fee or is free of charge. To invitees, pool owners owe the duty of regularly maintaining and repairing the pool so nobody is at risk of injury.

“Licensee” entrants refer to social guests who use a pool inside a private property. To licensees, a pool owners owes the obligation of warning them of the dangers not obvious to the average person. Towards “trespassers,” however, a pool owner owes no duty of care, other than refraining from doing something intentionally that will harm the trespasser. The only thing a trespasser may be entitled to acquire after illegally entering a private property, using the pool inside that property and getting injured, is the title “injured trespasser,” since (adult) trespassers are generally never legally entitled to receive compensation for injuries that they sustain. If the trespasser is a child, however, then the owner may be held accountable for that child’s injuries. This accountability is based on the attractive nuisance doctrine (which is observed in many states) which says that pool owners have the obligation to: keep the pool safe from young children who do not understand the danger of drowning; and to prevent access to the pool, by building a fence around it, for example.

Regardless of entrant category, however, if the pool has hidden obstructions or if it is not obvious that it is too shallow for diving and there is no warning with regard to these, then the owner may be held liable in case of injuries. In the case of large pools, especially those open for public use, failure to provide life guards or other means of adequate supervision can make the owner liable.

As explained by premises liability attorneys from the law firm Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. ®, people who visit others’ properties should not have to worry about their health and safety. However, there are property owners and managers whose negligence often expose clients, residents, and other guests to unsafe situations that can lead to devastating injuries or illnesses. In order to discourage this irresponsible behavior, premises liability laws allow victims of dangerous properties to hold careless property owners and managers accountable for their damages. Seeking assistance from a highly-competent premises liability attorney to fight for the rights of an injured guest may be necessary, especially if the owner of the property where the injury was sustained is a government agency, such as in a public pool owned by a municipality. This is due to the doctrine of governmental immunity, which protects government agencies from lawsuits.

Getting involved in a car accident translates to mounting expenses on your part. For this reason, carrying an insurance policy can help alleviate the potential expenses that will come your way especially if you were deemed at fault. But nothing can be extremely disappointing than realizing that the other driver involved in the accident does not carry any insurance.

The Insurance Research Council revealed that 1 out of every 7 drivers in the United States is currently uninsured. According to the website of Habush Habush & Rottier S.C.®, many insurance policies will still provide coverage even if the other driver involved does not have insurance. Most states require liability insurance but how will an uninsured motorist coverage protect you?

Chances are the other driver will carry liability insurance but then it will not be enough to pay for medical bills for any injuries that you may incur. With uninsured motorist coverage, the driver without a policy can pay for the bills associated with the accident. Uninsured motorist coverage includes the following:

Bodily Injury covers medical expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, pain and suffering and others. However, it does not cover damages resulting from collision. It may also offer coverage for injuries to passengers or family members

Property Damage pays for damages to your vehicle but does not cover bodily injuries

Once you decide to purchase uninsured motorist coverage, you need to choose the limits that are right for you. In many states, the minimum limit is already set for you but you can opt to increase the limits which may be the wise thing to do.

Split Limits

In split limit, the coverage differs if only a single person is involved compared to when there are several people involved. A typical example is $15,000 for bodily injury or death per person or $30,000 bodily injury or death per accident.

Combined Single Limits

A combined single limit is paid out for by your provider for all bodily injuries in an accident.

Uninsured auto insurance is required by law in 22 states including Washington D.C. while in other states such as California, it is an additional option for mandatory liability insurance.

The surge in popularity of healing clays, particularly bentonite clay, has lead to many companies producing various products to help accommodate the people’s need for the detoxifying and cleansing clay. With so many products to choose from, you have to know how to properly choose the right bentonite clay product in order to get the best benefits. When you think you are ready to use bentonite clay products, there are some things that you should consider.

First thing you should look into is the company you are buying the clay from. The website of Earth’s Natural Clay suggests researching the company; check whether they are actively participating in the harvesting and quality-control check up of their products to ensure that you are not putting your health at risk when the healing clay does absorb toxins but will not flush it. Make sure that the product comes from a reputable company and are safe and environment and animal friendly. Forbes Magazine states that one risk is that if the company is not reputable, then you may receive counterfeit products. It is important to understand how the company mines the clay. Because of the nature of the bentonite clay, it is important that the clay was harvested properly and not exposed to metallic objects. Being exposed to metal objects, especially for a significant amount of time can render the clay useless because it has already absorbed enough metals to make it ineffective.

Another thing that you should consider is the aluminum and sodium content of the bentonite clay. It is already established that aluminum is a danger to your health, and sodium in large quantities can also pose a health risk. It is important to take the bentonite clays in moderations, and to check with your doctor whether you need to ingest the healing clay or you can simply use it externally, such as a topical ointment or through baths. Another concern that should be addressed in the over-consumption of bentonite clay that can possibly lead to constipation, therefore it is necessary to drink a lot of water to help thin out the clay and avoid it from “settling” or “compacted” in your body, particularly in your colon.

Recent innovations in technology have allowed for people to live with less fear in regards to maladies and the like. If a new sickness or disability comes into light, there are many experts in every field that are already trying to develop ways to cure it or help people who are suffering from it. It is an age of mankind where people need not fear a culling from the unknown – people seek and discover now. Life prevails and life survives – resistance is all but futile.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t make mankind infallible. People are only human – and mistakes are destined to be made. Some of these mistakes can prove to be quite dangerous, what with the advanced risk that comes with the dependency on the discovered innovation.

There are a number of dangerous drugs and medical devices on the market right now that have only been recently been proved to be dangerous to use in treatment. For example, hip replacements have grown in popularity over the reason years upon their more increased availability but according to www.williamskherkher.com/houston-personal-injury/, there are some hip replacements like the ones from Depuy that have caused pain (in the form of fractures or dislocations) to many people, rather have the relief that they are meant to grant.

According to www.williamskherkher.com/houston-personal-injury/, some medications don’t necessarily affect the person taking the medicine. Sometimes, the unfortunate side effects can be reflected as experienced by another party entirety. Such is the case with mothers who have taken Depakote – a drug meant to treat bipolar disorder – who then given birth to newborns who are malformed or have brain defects.

As much good as current medicinal innovations have granted the human race, there are still dangers present and it should always be the first priority of anyone seeking treatment to make sure that their treatments are safe and will not cause them further pain.

There are many facets to cases involving personal injury. After all, there are so many variables to consider and so many different permutations of these factors that every single case is different – but there are some key similarities that certain cases are allowed to be grouped together.

Let’s break down from something simple. Personal injury is an injury that is dealt onto a person due to the negligent actions (whether ‘tis ignorantly or willfully done) of another person or party. This injury can be physical, mental, or emotional in kind – or any combination of the three or all of them together.

From quite a vague definition, there are several instances that can come to mind that might then be qualified for a personal injury case. For example, if an swiveling office chair breaks apart under your weight, there could be a party at fault. You may have been bruised due to the fall and, if this happened in public, the incident might have subjected you to a bit of humiliation. For all intents and purposes, this can qualify for personal injury – going on the simple definition alone, right?

It is dependent on the circumstances. Technically, that kind of situation could qualify for a personal injury case but the effort and cost would not be worth it to pursue in a court of law. Any personal injury lawyer worth their salt can advise you against that course of action. It is gathered from the website of Williams Kherkher that people tend to file for personal injury lawsuits in order to receive compensation since the injury that was dealt upon them inconveniences their lives so much so that it is necessary to demand for justice in this regard.

A fall from a chair is different from, say, a broken piece of chair accidentally stabbing you clean through the leg. Personal injury cases are quite circumstantial and are, since they happen to individuals at a time, quite personalized and it would be advisable to consult with an experienced professional before pursuing legal action.

Whenever you think about cruises, you can picture serene days filled with sunlight, the sea, and good memories all around. After all, the point of a cruise is to ensure that you are in a relaxed environment and that you can enjoy the time to yourself or amongst your friends and loved ones. Unfortunately, there are enough circumstances regarding cruise ship accidents that there are certain things that you may want to know about before you embark on your sea-bound voyage.

Cruises can be, let it be said, absolutely wonderful. The allowed disconnect from the hectic, day-to-day lifestyles of modern metropolitans can be a wonderful break filled with laughter and sunshine. However, whenever you’re that far away from civilization – it can be difficult to acquire some of the rights or comforts that you can enjoy while on land.

For example, if you suddenly take ill and the resident medical professionals on board are not capable of caring for your given sickness, then there must be protocol initiated immediately in order to get you to safety. Not only that but the staff must also adhere to a certain standard of care in order to make sure that you are in the best possible hands – and should anything fall below that standard, then there is justice that should await for you when you get back to shore.

There are many injuries that can await you in a cruise ship, sad as it is to say. But, according to the website of the lawyers with the Louis A. Vucci, there is the option wherein victims of cruise ship accidents or injuries can legally file to acquire compensation for the damage that has been done unto their person. It can be frustrating to deal with, especially since so much depends upon evidence and reports of circumstances in situations like these, but with the right kind of experienced help – things should go by smoothly and you can keep on sailing just fine.